System of electrical distribution.



W. LQBLISS; SYSTBM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

. APPLIGATIONBILBD AUG.4,1904. I 1,040,496, v Patented Oct.8, 1912.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

yl I I WZLZk'amL .BLias A TOR fSi UNITED STATES PATENT enrich.

WILIIAM L. BLISS, OF NEW YORK, n. Y., ASSIGNOB, BY nnsnaessiennnnrs, TO THE UNITED sures LIGHT AND HEATING COMPANY, or nnw YORK, n. Y., A CORPORA- zrxon or MAINE.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

Application filed August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,461.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. Buss, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Systems of Electrical Distribution, of .which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact deserlption, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates; to improvements in s stems of electrical distribution, and a1- t iough it is particularly adapted for lighting cars or trains by electricity 1t may be applied to other purposes.

n the light-111g of cars .or trams by electricity, in the current for operat-ing'th lamps and other-translating devices of the system 1s furnished front a generator which derives its power from the motion of the car or train and a storage battery which receives its charging current from the generator, said generator being regulated by means of. a suitable automatic regulator to confine the voltage developed thereby Within certain limits n twithstanding the excessive. variations in the speed thereof. l

i The current which the generator must deliver to operate the translating devices and also charge the battery depends upon the current being consumed by the translating devices, as the current consumed by the number oi translating devices in operation.

Therefore, the generator must be capable of interfere with the ability of the generator to Vary its output upon variations iii the demands for currentthe translating del vices. r I

In. the usual fol-mi .ofra system of car or train lighting such as hasfsboen heroin chm acterized, the storage battery and the translating devices are located in separate cira system has been employed wheretranslating devices varies upon oha-ngingtho generator. 4 In accordance with the present invention in its preferred form, the regula tor for the generator is connected with the battery circuit -to receive current for controlling the operation thereof from the generator and has associated therewith an electrolytic .valve adapted to prevent current from said battery from affecting the action of the same. I

The generator may be regulated by a regulator of any form so far as the ultinlate results are concerned, but in the preferred form of the present invention, I prefer to employ for this purpose a counter electroinotire force device which introduces a counter elcctro-Inotive force into the field circuitof the generator to oppose the current tending to flow therelhrough and thereby reduce the energizing current of said field as the speed of the generator increases. The. field strength of the generator thus being weakened as the speed of the generator rises, the out-put of the generator remains within prearranged limits.

In order to explain my invention I shall other ways of attaining the ends of the presout invention. 7

ln the system illustrated in the drawings there is employed a generator having an armature 1 and a field 2, said armature being geared to an axle or in any other way arranged so as to derive the power for operating the samet'rom the motion of the car or train.

Tho generator sends currents through a supply circuit 3- --l to a storage battery 5 arranged in one parallel branch of said supply circuit. and'also to translating devices (L43 arranged in another parallel branch 7 --'T of said supply circuit; The translating e circuit. 77 is preferably provided with aswitch 8 byijnearis of which the circuit of the translating dcvlcos may be opened and cults which are suitably connected with the closed.

force device having an armature 14: con- BEST AVAILABLE cos The supply circuit may be controlled by an automatic switch which may consist of stationary contacts 9, 9 and a movable contact 10 adaptd to bridge said stationary contacts and carried by a plunger 11, said plunger being operated by a solenoid 12 of. fine \vire connectet l in ashunt across the supply circuit. \Vhen the automatic switch is closed, a solenoid 13 of coarse wire connected in series with the switch contacts in the supply circuit supplements the action of the shunt solenoid to etlect closer engagement between the switch contacts as thecurrent [flowing through the switch from the generator increases. The automatic switch is closed by the shunt solenbid when the generator runs at sufficient speed to develop. a certain voltage, and when the switch closed the series solenoid is energized. lVhile the enerator voltage remains in excess of the battery voltage, the series solenoid is en ergized by current from the generator and then the two solenoids act conjointly in keeping the switch closed, but when the generator voltage falls below thebattery voltage, the series solenoid becomes energized by current from the battery flowing backward therethrough and then, as the two solenoids oppose eaeh'other in action, due to the reversal of the polarity of the series solenoid, the switch opens and stops the discharge of the battery through the generator.

The generator may be regulated to confine the voltage developed thereby within certain limits by a counter clectro-motivc nected in series with the field 2 of the, generator and a field or controlling magnet 15 connected in the battery circuit, said armature preferably being driven in starting by a shunt wound motor connected across the mains of the supply circuit and having an armature 16 and a field 17, When the generator becomes operative and delivers current to the battery, the field 15 of the counter electro-motive force device becomes excited by current flowing through the battery circuit, and the armature thereof runs at substantially constant speed. The strength of the field or controlling magnet of the counter electro-i'notive force device will increase as the voltage developed by the gen orator increases, since the increase in the *rator voltage will cause the current through the battery circuit to charge tb'. battery to increase in proportion to the 'rcase in the voltage impressed at the inals of lhchattery circuit. As the re sulting ii'icrease in the strength of the field patrolling magnet 15 ill cause the electro-nmtive force created in the nit of the generator to increase. the

' firmi g through the field of said ie a'ior will be reduced and the field o'fi the generator therebyweakened. The field strength of the generator thus being varied approximately inversely as the speed thereof varies, the output will remain within safe and certain limits.notwithstanding the extent to which the speed may rise. Assuming that when the car or train runs at about 20 miles per hour, the generator runs at 500 revolutions per minute and develops (24 volts, then when the car or train runs at about 60 miles per hour, provided all other conditions remain the same the generator would run at about 1500 revolutions per minute, and if its field were not weakened by the counter electro-motive force device, would develop about 192 volts. It is suiticient under these conditions to have the generator develop 80 volts at the maximum speed of the car as this would be approximately 2% volts per cell, which is ample to force the full charging current through the battery, where the battery contains cells each having a normal voltage of 2 volts. Accordingly, the generator may be regulated to allow a variation in the voltage developed by the generator from (34 to 80 volts while the speed of the generator varies from about 500 revolutions per minute at a car speed of 20, miles per hour to 1.300 revolutions per minute at a car speed of about 60 miles per hour. v

The counter electro-motive force device being connected with the battery circuit, it Will-not interfere with the ability of the generator to vary its output upon variations in the demands for current by the translating devices. Consequently, the current for charging the battery will remain sub stantia-lly constant at constant speed of the generator, for when the demands for current by the translating devices vary the output of the generator will vary accordingly, that is, assuming that the battery receives 15 amperes and the translating devices consume 20 amperes, thus making the total current delivered by the generator 35 amperes, then should the current being consumed by the translating devices be increased to am-' pores, the output of the generator would increase to ampercs so as to leave .15 ampcrcs for charging the battery as before.

An advantage which arises from maintaining constant current for charging the battery at constant speed of the generator. is that where the car or train runs upon a certain schedule, it -is possible to insure suflicient current being delivered to the battery to compensate for all. the demands which may be made upon the battery by the translating devices.

The counter elcclro-motivc force device may be provided with a second armature 18 which is connected in the translating circuit T in series with the translating devices and driven by the same motor in starting and excited by the same field as the armature 14. When the holder controlling magnct of the counter electro-motive force devicew becoines excited, a counter electromotive force will be introduced into the translating circuit from the armature 18 to oppose thevoltage the generator tends to 'impress upon said circuit, said counter electr c-motive force being in proportion to by the generator above the normal voltage.

Therefore, the voltage impressed'upon the translating devices will remain constant irrespective of the rise in voltage upon the battery circuit, coincident with charging the battery, and as the internallresistance of the armature18 is comparatively low, said counter electro-motive' force will be inde-@ pendent" of the number of translating de-g vices'in operation.

After the motor Serves the purpose of starting the counter}electro-motive forcei device and the counter electro-motive force; device becomes operative, the motor will, then be relieved of its load,.as.the electrical energy received or absorbed by said device from the translating circuit and also from the field circuit of the generator tends to operate said device. At this stage in the operation of said device and said motor,

the motor becomes a generator while the counter electroanotlve force. device becomesi a motor, and under these conditions a large;

portion of the energy consumed in operat ing saiddevice is restored to the system by the motor which now acts as a generator it being driven by said device.

Although it. is preferable to have the dounte'r electro-motive force device for reg-i ulating the generator and the counter electro-motive force device for modifying the voltage impressed upon the translating circuit a unitany device, it. is obvious that the same may be separate entities and that either one may be employed without. the

other. I

'As the current which the battery dis- '(-.harges to operate the translating devices flows through the battery circuit in an opposite dircction'to the current which the generator sends through said circuit to qhargc the bat lery, if the, current discharged from the battery 'were allowed to flow through lhe field oreontrolling magnet 15, said magnet wouldbe excited with, such polarity that the counter electro-motive force device would-reverse its function if it were in operation, and then instead of a counter electro-motive force, a direct elect-ro-rnoti-ve tor-cc would be introduced into the field circuit of the generator and also into the translating circuit. Moreover, where the regulators forlhe generator and the lamps assume other forms than that illustrated herein,. various other effects which should be avoided would follow, it the current from the battery were allowedto affect the operation of the regu lators to any appreciable extent. There fore, the current which the battery discharges may be prevented from flowing through the field or controlling magnet 15 of the counter eleotro-motiveforce device by an electrolytic valve 19 which may consist of a plate of iron 20 and a plate of aluminum 21, said plates. being immersed in a solution of bi-carbonate of soda or other suitable material contained within asuitable cell or receptacle and electrically connected with each other through the solution only. Around the'controllingmagnet 15 and the electrolytic valve 19 mayextend a by-pass or shunt. 22 having located therein an electrolytic valve 23 which may have a plate of aluminum 24 and a plate of iron 25. said plates being immersed in a suitable solution like the plates of the other electrolytic valve. As the electrolytic valves will prohibit current from flowing therethrough save when the polarity of'the cur.- rent. is such that the current may enter the valve by the iron plate, and thence after flowing tl'n-ough the solution leave the valve by the aluminum plate,the current which the battery discharges will be prevented from flowing through thefield or controlling magnet 15, although the currentfrom said battery may flow from the positiveterminal of the battery throughthe switch 8, conductor 7; translating devices 6, conductor 7, ari'l'iaturc 18, and shunt 22 having valve 23, to the negative terminal of the bat-- tery. However, the current which the generator sends through the battery to charge the same may flow through the field or con trolling magnet. 15 but not through the shunt the course which said current follows being from the positivctcrmina l of the generator, through the automatic switch, conductor 3, battery 5, valve 19, magnet 15,

l and main 4-, to the negative terminal of the genera tor.

In Figs. 2. and 3. are suggested other em-.

bodiments of the present invention in which electrolytic valves are employed with results similar to those obtained in the system which has already been set forth.

According to the scheme illustrated in Fi 2. a resistance 26 may be arran ed in the shunt 22 instead of an electrr lytic valve. The generator may thensend currenttrom the valve 19 but retains the valve in the shunt around the controlling magnet. lVith this arrangement the current which the gen orator sends through the battery may flow from the supply main 3 to the battery 5 and controlling magnet 15 to the supply main h,

' although it will be prevented from flowing through the shunt by the valve 23, but the current which the battery discharges may return through the shunt and thus be diverted from the field or controlling magnet 15.

It is obvious from the illustrations Which are made herein that an electrolytic valve may be employed in various ways in accordance with the present invention to prevent the current discharged by the battery from affecting the operation of the regulator for the generator.

ljVhile the car is at rest'the translating devices may be operated by current from the battery 5, the circuit from said battery through the translating devices being completed from the positive terminal of the battery, through. the switch 8, conductor 7, translating devices 6, conductor 7 armature 18, and shunt 22 having valve 23, to the negativeterminal of the battery. lVhen the car runs at sutllcient speed to develop, for instance, 64 volts, the automatic switch will be closed, and then if the voltage developed by the generator and that of the storage battery are substantially equal, the generator and the battery will cooperate in supplying the current for operating the translating devices, the current from the battery flowingthrough the course which has just been traced while the current from the generator flows from the positive terminal of the generate;- through theautomaticswitch, supply main 3, switch 8.c.o1iductor 7,translating devices 6, conductor 7,-armature 18,- and supply main 4, to the negative terminal of the generator. If the voltage developed by the generator becomes higher than the voltage of the bat tery, the generator will supply current tor charging the battery as well as for operating the translating devices, and then the battery will cease to discharge current and the current from the. generator will flow'lrom the positive terminal of the. gene: ator,

through the automatic switch, supply main 3, thence dividinglythrough the battery 5,

valve 19, field or controlling magnet 15, and also through-switch 8, conductor 7, translating devices 6, conducttirgfif, andvarmature Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new" and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In a system of electrical distribution, in combination, a suitable source of electrical energy, a battery adapted to be charged from said source, translating devices adapted to be operated by said source or said battery, a counter electro-motive force device for modifying the electrical conditions in said system and having its field connected in the battery circuit, and an electrolytic valve arranged to keep the current from said bat tery from affecting the action of said counter elcctro-motive force device.

2. In combination, a suitable source of electrical energy, a battery adapted to be charged from said source, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said source or said battery, a counter electro-motive force device for regulating said source and having its lield connected in the battery circuit, and an electrolytic valve arranged tokeep current from said battery from attccting the action of said counter electro-motive force device.

I ncombinatioma generator, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted tobe operated either by said generator or said storage battery, a counter electro-motive force device havmg a field or controlhngmagnet con nected in the circuit of said battery, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said battery from flowing through said magnet.

4. In combination, a generator, a main circuit extending therefrom and divided into two parallel branches, one including the storage battery and the other the translating devices, a regulator, an electrol'nagnetic winding for (-ontrolling said regulator, said winding being arranged in said batterv branch circuit, a shunt. circuit extending around said winding, .an electrolytic valve arranged in said. shunt circuit andadapted to yireventrte-rent: from said generator from flowing through said shunt circuitt 5. ln coinbinatioin a generator, a storage battery adapted, to' be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operate tery, an automaticregulator having a con-- trolling or operatingmagnet connectedin neeaase around said magnet, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said generator from flowing through said shunt.

6. In combination, a generator, a storage battery adaptedv to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by, said generator or said storage batthe circuit of said battery, anelectrolytic valve adapted to prohibit current from 'sa-id battery from flowing through said magnet, and a. shunt or by-pass extending around said magnet and 'said valve, and an electro lytic valve arranged to prohibit currenty from said generator from flowing throughsaid shunt.

7. In combination, a generator, :1 storage battery adapted to be charged thereby translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage hattery, a counter electro-motive force device having a field or controlling-magnet connected in the circuit of said battery, an electrolytic valve adapted to prohibit currentfrom said battery from flowing througha said magnet, and a shunt or by-pass' extending around said magnet and said valve, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said generator from flowing through said shunt.

8. In combination, a suitable source of electrical energy tending to develop a variable electro-motive force, a storage battery fl adapted to be charged thereby, an automatic switch connected in circuit with said elements, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said source or said storage battery, a counter electro-motive force device for modifying the electro-motive force impressed upon said translating devices by said source, and an electrolytic valve arranged to keep the current from said battery from affecting the action of said counter electro-motive force device;

9. In comb1nat1on,a generator tending to' develop a' variable electro-motive force, a

storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage battery, automatic means for modifying the electro-motive force impressed upon said translating devices by said generator and. having a controlling or operating magnet connected with said battery circuit, a shunt 3 extending around said means, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said generator from flowing through said. shunt,

10. In combination, a generator tending todevelop a variable el'ectro motive force, a. storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be" operated either'by said generator-or said storage battery, a counter electro-motive force device for modifying the electro-motive forceimpressed uponsaid translating devices by said generator and having: a field or controlling magnet connected with'said battery circuit, a shunt extending around saidmagnet, and an electrolytic valve arranged to .prehibitcu-rrent from saidgenerator from fiowing through said shunt.

, 13 I911 combination, a generator tending to developa variable electro motiv e force, astorage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating. devlces adapted to be operated either by said generator orsaid storage battery, :1: counter electronotiveforce delvice for modifying the el'ectro-motive force iimpressed' upon said translating devices by said generator and having afield or controlling magnet connected in the battery circuit,

and anelectrolytic val ve arranged to prohibit current from said battery from flowing through said" magnet.

12. In combination, a generator tending to impress-"a variable electro motive' force, a storage battery adapted to'be charged there by, translating devices adapted to be operated either by" said generator or said storage battery, automatic meansfor modifying the electr cmotive force impressed upon said translating devices by said generator and having a controllin or operating magnet it'rolytic valve ada ted to prevent current if'rom said battery f om flowing through said ma et', a shunt extending around said val e- .an said magnet, and-an electrolytic valve iarranged to rohibit current from said genierator from owing through said shunt.

; 13. In combination, a generator tending to {impress a variable electro-motive force, a istorage battery adapted to be charged therelby, translating devices adapted tobe operlat'ed eitherby said generator or said storage ibattery; a counter electro motive force de- ;vice for modifying the electro motive force impressed' upon said translatin devices by said generator andhaving'a fieldor controlling magnet connected withsaid battery; cir fruit, anelectrolytic valve adapted to'prevent gcurrent from said battery from flowing through said magnet a shunt extending (around said valve and said magnet, and anlielectrolytic va'l've' arranged. to prohibit cur ,Erent from said generator from flowing ithrou h said shunt.

, 14: combination, a generator. tending itoiinpress-a variable electromotive' force, a istorage'battery' adapted to be charged there-- lrliy, translating devices adapted to be operfated either by said generator or said storage battery, automatic means for regulating said ator, said means having a controlling magnet connected in the battery circuit, and an electrolytic valve arranged to keep current from said battery from affecting the action of said means.

15. In combination, a generator tending to impress a variable electro-motive force, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage battery, automatic means for regulating said generator to confine the electro-motive force developed thereby Within certain limits and to modify the eleetro-mctive .torce impressed upon said translating devices by said generator, said means being provided with a con trolling magnet connected with the battery circuit, a shunt extending around said magnet, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prevent current from said generator from flowing through said shunt.

16. In combination, a generator tending to impress a variable electro-motive force, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage battery, automatic means for regulating said generatorto confine the electro-motive force developed thereby within certain limits and to modify the electro-motive force impressed upon said translating devices by said generator, said means being provided With a controlling magnet connected With the battery circuit, an electrolytic valve adapted to prohibitcurrent from said battery from Howing through said magnet, a shunt extending around said valve and said magnet, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said generator from flowing through said shunt.

17. In combination, a generator tending to impress a variable elect-ro-motive force, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage battery, a counter electro-motive force device having an armature connected in the field circuit of said generator and an armature connected in the circuit of said translating devices, the field or controlling magnet of said counter electro-motive force device being connected in said battery circuit, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said battery from flowing through said magnet.

18. In combination, a generator tending to impress a variable electro-motive force, a storage battery adapted to be charged thereby, translating devices adapted to be operated either by said generator or said storage battery, a counter electro-motive force device having an armature connected in the field circuit of said generator and an armature connected in the circuit of said translating devices, the field magnet of said counter eleetro-motive force device being connected in said battery circuit, a shunt extending around said magnet, and an elec translating devices, the field or controlling:

magnet of said device being connected in said battery circuit, an electrolytic valve adapted to prohibit current from said battery from flowing through said magnet, a shunt extending around said valve and said magnet, and an electrolytic valve arranged to prohibit current from said generator from flowing through said shunt.

20. In a system of electrical distribution,

in combination, a generator tending to develop a variable electro motive force, a storage battery and translating devices arranged in circuit therewith, automatic means operativcly arranged in circuit to modify the voltage impressed upon said translating devices according to the current delivered to said storage battery, and an electrolytic valve for preventing said means from being subjected to reversals of current.

21. In a system of electrical distribution, in combination, a generator tending to develop a variable electro-motive force, a storage battery and translating devices arranged in circuit therewith, a dynamo electric machine operatively arranged in circuit to regulate said generator, means for controlling the act-ion of said machine according to the current delivered to said storage battery, and an electrolytic 'alve for preventing said means from being subjected to reversals of current.

22. In a system of electrical distribution, in combination, a generator tending to develop a variable elcctro-molive t'orce, astorage battery and translating devices arranged in circuit therewith, a dynamo electric machine operatively arranged in circuit to regulate said generator, means for controlling the action of said machine according to the current delivered to said s rage battery, a by-pass or shunt extending around said means, and an electrolytic valve arranged in said by-pass.

23. In a stem of electrtzal distribution, in mmhiuatlmi, a generator, a storage battery and translating devices arranged in circuit therewith, a counter electro-motive force device operativel'y arranged in circuit to modify the voltage impressed upon said translating devices, electromagnetic means arranged in circuit to control the action of said counter electro-lnotive force device according to the current sent through said storage battery, a by-pass or shunt extending around said means, and an electrolytic 10 vali 'e arranged in said shunt or by-pass.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed niy name in the presence of two witmesses.

WILLIAM L. BLISS. Witnesses EDWIN B. H. TOWER, J r., J. N. ROBERTSON. 

